Electrodeposition techniques which have hitherto been practiced on the commercial basis make common use of a bath of liquid electrolyte in which a substrate to be electrodeposited is immersed. An electric potential is applied between the cathodic substrate and an anodic electrode which is fixedly spaced apart from the substrate over a substantial distance. An electric current is caused to flow from the anode to the substrate on which a metal is electrolytically deposited. In these techniques, the anode assembly commonly has a planar electrode surface with a substantial area confronting the substrate irrespective of the general configuration of the latter and the electrode arrangement remains stationary during a given electrodepositing operation.
While various proposals were made in the art in an effort to generally improve the electrodeposition process, it has been recognized that substantially all of them are more or less incomplete and have left much desired as regards the rate of deposition and its uniformity over a desired surface as well as its operational stability, especially where the surface is large in area and/or has an intricate contour.